Name: Marilyn Gaye Slade [you know me as Gaye]. Long story short I was named Marilyn Gaye but from the start was called Gaye. Who would do that to a kid?
Pet's Name: My beautiful girl Lola is a 2 year old black and white Cavoodle. She is the joy of my life and I don't know what I'd do without her during these troubling times. She is a gentle girl who greets everyone like they were her best friend. She has a little King Charles Cavalier friend we often walk with but since social distancing we are going by ourselves. She was never very naughty except for seven pairs KMart rubber thongs. I just love her!! Covid 19 restrictions mean I also cannot take her to the beauty parlour but I am learning to give her a hair cut myself, like many of us who are stuck at home. Reminds me of parents giving their kids a bowl cut!
Lola
Working or retired? I am retired now and loving it. I did obtain an IT degree back in 1989 and in 1990 was recruited to Australian Customs for the first part of my working life then the Department of Foreign Affairs for the second part. I knew absolutely nothing about IT when I started my degree – the lecturer on the first day opened up the back of a computer for the benefit of the class and I said, “There’s nothing much to it, is there?”. Famous last words!
What gear do you shoot with? I started seven years ago with a SONY A57 and an 18 - 135 lens and then purchased a 70 - 300. A couple of years later SONY went to mirrorless and the size of the A7r suited me. My first lens was a 24 - 70 F4 Zeiss lens. Then a 90mm 2.8 macro G Lens fell into my camera bag and became my favourite lens. My other lenses are an F4 16 - 35 and a 1.8 50 mm. A couple of years later I also purchased an A6000 which I have now upgraded to a A6500 with an 18 - 105 mm lens. My flash is a GODOX, Filters are NISI and tripod of a SURI.
Preferred genre/style of photography. I love night scapes, mono, social documentary and travel photography. Now I have joined Queensland Camera Group as a full member I am finding the love of portraiture.
Best holiday you ever had. I've never had a bad holiday but the three I loved most were heading up the coast of Norway on a cargo ship in early winter, travelling around Vietnam and my latest trip to Morocco. Into the future I’ve decided to stay in Australia and travel locally and do my bit for the country.
Market Day by Gaye Slade
Favourite song. There are many songs I love but the one I find much joy listening to is Hallelujah written by Leonard Cohen but the rendition I love is sung by KD Lang, my favourite singer. I also love Sarah Brightman and have all her CDs.
Favourite restaurant. I don't have one as I don't dine out but I love Indian and Mexican food which I cook at home. I love chicken burritos, tacos and enchiladas – anything with a curry or cumin flavour.
Favourite image by another QCG member. There are so many wonderful photographers in the club. Gaye Edwards and Gosh Slomenski portraits are supurb. Anne P is also doing fabulous work.
My favourite image since becoming a full member is Afternoon Stroll by Nick Lefebvre. I was privileged to have been asked to judge the Photoshoot Outings images for last year the one that especially comes to mind is Brisbane River Bend by Elizabeth Riley.
Afternoon Stroll by Nick Lefebvre.
Brisbane River Bend by Elizabeth Riley
Favourite image of my own: A Shining Light, a photo of the Carillon, Canberra.
A Shining Light by Gaye Slade
What are you watching?: I love Brittish dramas and crime shows including Doc Martin, Fearless and Shetland. I also love Australian drama on the ABC like Mystery Road, Secret City and The Code. Lola loves watching TV with me too – I crochet and she enjoys barking at other dogs and the odd cow, which she also thinks is a dog.
Girls together on the couch - all is right with the world
How has COVID 19 changed your life: Well like many people I see a lot less of my family. I used to have breakfast weekdays with my granddaughter, Eliza, before dropping her to school – that has not happened for weeks now. I have a brand new granddaughter who I’ve seen only once and she is now three months, so I am missing watching her grow. Lola is a blessing but I do miss not being able to catch up with friends and even simple things like visiting Bunnings or Spotlight (for wool). I miss seeing the kids in our street – there are about 14 of them – but they did yell out to me the other day that “We’re still here!”, which was pretty funny but also quite heart-warming.
The truth is, we’re all in this together and we’re all doing our a bit for the country and that’s the main thing.
Gaye’s beautiful granddaughter Eliza at a QCG photoshoot. Image by Gaye Edwards.